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Sparkle (1)
I hadn't heard much about The Artist before the awards season got underway—a couple of friends mentioned it in passing after attending a screening, and they remarked that it was not only worth seeing, but that they were amazed at how captivated they were by an essentially silent movie.
The movie captivated me, too, with its expressive elements and its examination of a time when the movie industry was engaged in radical change. It's a sweet and touching story with a heartwarming finale, but goes back to another age of storytelling to reach today's audiences. It's the next feature in our Best Picture Dinners series.
We'll celebrate this film with an entirely black and white menu, as befitting the era depicted. Our first course will be a soup that's rich and creamy, but devoid of color. If you're up for a chilled soup, then I'd recommend this white gazpacho from Jordan Frosolone of August Restaurant in New York, shared by Marcus Samuelsson on his blog. Though it's called gazpacho, which is traditionally made with tomatoes, the base for this dish is blanched, peeled almonds. Though the chef garnishes the soup with colored ingredients, I'd say some diced cucumber (peeled, of course, to avoid a shock of green) and possibly some additional almonds would work well without messing up our color theme.
More interested in something hot? This roasted garlic and rosemary white bean soup from Krissy of Make It Naked is perfect. Plus, unlike the white gazpacho, it's completely vegan.
The cocktail paired with this dinner will be a Gibson, a classic preparation that hearkens back to the movie's era. Mike Penrod of My Best Drink Recipes showcases a classic Gibson pairing gin, vermouth and orange bitters, garnished with two pickled onions, and the post includes a video of bartender Chris Doig making the drink, just in case you need a mixology refresher.
The main part of the meal will feature a pasta course. In keeping with our theme, I would recommend finding some squid ink pasta, which is a lovely black shade, at a gourmet grocery store or specialty store near you. Can't find it? Then make your own at home thanks to a recipe and instructions from My Kitchen Moovement.
The squid ink pasta will go well with a lovely, white alfredo sauce, of course. But if you would prefer something slightly more simple, than this Black and White Pasta from Jessica Harper of The Crabby Cook is a perfect option.
There are plenty of ways we could wrap up this meal, but I think a lovely, homemade Black & White Cookie will tie things together nicely, and Betsy of My Five Men has a solid and straightforward recipe for them. They're a perfect, monochrome way to fade the lights on this dramatic meal.
What foods did The Artist evoke for you? Share your movie-inspired thoughts in the comments below.
Genie blogs about gardening and food at The Inadvertent Gardener, and tells very short tales at 100 Proof Stories. She is also the Food Section Editor for BlogHer.
Image Credit: The Weinstein Company
